Four out of Five

I tapped out of The night.

I turned to look at The Elahim Brothers. There were black smokes of disbelief, the sneaky breaths of surprise.

I handled it well with the soul freezing numbness.

I collected myself and looked at Mr Elahim who was set to destroy everything I ever had. Into his hands were the strings of this puppet show. His agony was playing with the poverty of my luck.

He was weaving the story of falsehood, dictating the words filled with lies,decorating his fiction into the minds of the brothers. He told them he felt last night, a pang in his chest, he felt death close to him, in the array he saw only one thing he could do. Marry one of his son. He said that he found me to be the perfect match for his sons but he was reluctant to ask my father but last night he experienced the ephiphany. The moment of being. He was to complete this responsibility. Lies. White complete lies. He said he did what he felt was the best.' It was written' he  smudged over our faces.

I felt first an odd anger, then impuissance. I neatly cut off myself from his tale.

But I returned when he came up with the sentence that killed entirely my sentiment of any respect if left I had for him.

He said "I told her to choose among Al-Souffian and Al-Hassan and she chose Al-Souffian as more meritorious. Al-Souffian of course is more commendable"

I shook my head. He is so brutal.

The essence of this game that he is playing, he is making a fire with the emotions of all his sons. Had ever a father been so tyrannical to break the bonds of his sons with his own bare hands? Only I could see his conspiracies. Understand his moves. History had never witnessed such an hellish Father. And it would never witness a woman as brave as I would be. I promise. I promise.

But before I could be brave. Before I could be gathered to be anything else,now this moment I was anesthetized. I was paralyzed. Remote. Unconscious.

The Dinosaurs was announced after along storyline served the unsatisfied audience. Nobody could understand a thing. Though everything was justified but nothing made sense to anyone.

Hungry faces.  Hungry Eyes.

I sat with my Grandmother,the sudden change in her voice. The acceptance of my being.....I hated it.

The acceptance that comes only from the fact that I am married, happily or sadly does not matter.

She asks for water.

I fetched her a glass filled with water, colorless.... Colorless water.

A hand griped my wrist, I am taken by surprise but I soon softened.

I saw his face, half fierce, half dull. Half frightening, half afraid.

I took away my hand from his grip.

Al-Hassan with his sombre eyes and heart wrenching voice asks "Why?  Why did you choose him over me? "

I relaxed that this would be over now. That now I have to face him and then I would be free. One out of five.

"Why do you care? " I said airily.

"I care!  I am offended! Good Lord miss Falaq-Naaz I am offended by you! " he screams.

Tears incline from my eyes.

"Why? " he comes back to me tenderly. "Why did you do this to me?  I had told you, have I not?  I had feelings for you"

I nodded my head.

"You make me feel miserable. Today I feel so poor Miss Falaq-Naaz. You broke me down" he sighed.

My heart hurried into an defend.

"No!  No Al-Hassan! I am not of any worth to marry you. I do not deserve you!  I couldn't choose you... I could not because look at you--"

He pushed away my hand from his.

"because I am Beautiful?" he asked.

"yes... I do not deserve you"

"Then I am glad you did not choose me" he face harden. His voice becomes heavier "It comes around to same thing. You are like everyone else. There was no point of the walks and the talks with you Madame. You saw me no different than how others see me. You have proved Miss Falaq-Naaz that my beauty is indeed a curse!

You have weighed me as a destitution. I am sorry Miss Falaq-Naaz to have bothered you with my emotions. Thank you for reminding me of my worth"

He stormed out of the hallway. It broke my heart. How heartlessly I weighed him. Outwardly ,indeed I have insulted him. But I could not choose him. He seemed so immensely ravishing. And I, my self-worth was already crushed under Mr Elahim's remarks..... I,the so grotesque.... Could never ever be the bride of such an angelic man.

I choose Al-Souffian because it was easier to look at him. It was easier to carry him. I would die under the weight of Al-Hassan's melancholy.

Because mysteries will end sadness wouldn't.

Now I removed my tears.

I sat in my room. The words of Al-Hassan flooded my mind. I would cry then stop. Breathe. Cry. Stop. Breathe. Cry. Stop.

The dinner was silent.

I did not dare see none.

I returned to my room.

Grandma was somehow aggravating me with her unnecessary talks.

"Why don't you go to your husband's room? " she kept poking me.

At last I shouted "I am not going anywhere! "

"oh shut up!  Have you started again!  Have you?  I am telling you Falaq if you go around toying around with your father's name once again, he would definitely die! " she spoke in her old usual tone.

Now I did not notice Al-Souffian had entered. I looked at him. The Unreadable expression. The same eyes with red circles and the nor happy or sad expression.

He lifted me by my arm.

"Father calls" he stated as he with mild pressure dragged me to his room.

"Father, Falaq-Naaz " he presented me.

I coiled like a serpent in his gaze.

"oh dear daughter in law. Here my wedding gift for you" he pretended his courtesy.

I faked mine.

I quickly left his suffocating room.

"Where are you going? " he asked.

Do it Falaq. Two out of five.

"Where shall I go? " I asked him instead.

Standing straight, my eyes would not confront him. My head in the opposite direction and my hands fidgeting with the edge of my scarf. My neck was stretching further away from his uncomfortable silence.

"Come" he spread open his palm before me.

My body falls in the helpless guilt.

He fingers gathered close, his hand  advanced.

The hand that always held me without a permission.

I walked ahead of him "where? "

He walked ahead and I followed him, my head down and his chin high. His back erect and mine drowning.

His opened the door of his room.

The Unreliable.

I gulped. I sighed. Small but brave little steps set in motion.

When I entered he sighed.

"See you tomorrow.Have a goodnight Falaq-Naaz " he stated and left the Room.

For a long period of time my eyes were fixed on the door. I realized he was gone. The Unreliable.

I consumed the air and resumed.

I noticed I had never been to his room. The walls were grey, all other furnishings were black. The fireplace bore no sign of the fire ever being kindled. It was freezing. I saw the Pitch dark sheet and covers of Al-Souffian set straight without a crease. This house is entirely neat and clean but His room was the offensive neat.

A small lamp in the shade of black. The lights were timid.

The arrangement of the art pieces were rather fine. I saw one closely, a black statue of unformed figure with an axe. The small round black ball with small bubbles if only you could look closely would notice. Metal gear. Alchemist books. The short and long journal wrapped in Black leather. Arm chair, in the right corner.... It was exiquiste. The was something solitary, something chiller. The residence of repugnance.

It gave both was thriller and dismal.

The smell of ink and coffee.

Darkness and dread.

I rested myself on the arm chair. I slipped into a sleep.

When I opened my eyes in the morning, it was still dark in his room. The hue was not allowed in here.

I opened the silver Black curtains and saw the splendid view of the garden. I shook my head. For some moments it did not occur to me, that now I was married. When it came back. I lost against the wall.

I walked out. It was exact ten on the clock. Was I asleep for the entire morning?

The dishes of the breakfast were washed. The lunch was on the gas stove.

"Lady Elahim,here how are you? " Mrs Kasheefa greeted me with the unusual prefix.

"please, call me--"

I was interjected by Al-Shizad and Al-Wildan passing by.

I walked behind them.

"Al-Wildan? " I said once they were settled in the garden.

He did not answer. Their head were low.

"How did you like the City? " I gambled for an conversation.

There was completely the aching modesty of silence.

"Al-Shizad?"

I stood there for fifteen or so minutes.

The walls that their father raised were built before me. Nobody could now see me.

"Al-Wildan.... " I blinked the tears....

"Miss, I apologize but will you please rather let me alone. I would be grateful if you leave me on my own. I am sorry but I cannot..... I do not understand this.... I want to understand this..... Will you give me some time, let alone have me find the answers myself, I insist you do not talk to till then. I would come myself to you once I am alright in my head" Al -Wildan broke my heart.  Three out of five.

"Why did you not marry Al-Hassan? Why did you marry Al-Souffian?" Al-Shizad questions.

Why did I not marry Al-Wais?

Ask your Father.

"Al-Shizad " I could not move any further in my speech.

"Al-Wildan is right. I'm perplexed as well. Give us time" he said and they both walked out.  Four out of Five.

Innummerous stars were whispering in the quiet sky, the open stream of water sparkled along. The house was muffled into turmoil. Agitation stood on the floor. The lamps were going on and off, the air was risky, so was heart. I was to be brave but I was scarce. I held my nerves and walked alongside the roaring thunder, the lightning. The sudden flashes of the current did not affect me. I took the sad powder blue tea cups and stood in the balcony.

The strong headed, the courageous Falaq-Naaz that came up to the balcony somehow died an easy death to the sight of Al-Wais sitting in the seldom sweet air of this house. The despondency wrapping itself around him. The small canary bird that I never saw in the dark sat on the balcony and hummed the saddest song  sorrowfully.

In the dysphoria, my words and tears both fell together in the pit of blue devils.

"Al-Wais... " his name naturally castes off with an unaccomplished breath.

He did not turn.

My tears streamed down.

"Al-Wais? "

He was fixed.

He was a statue.

He did not answer.

"Al-Wais..? " I cried.

My breathless sobs screamed in the air. I cried losing myself on the floor.

He did not turn.

I cried and cried, the greedy sadness devoured me whole.

"Al..... Al-Wais...."

His father knew him too well. He is to never look at you.  He never looked at me.

I shamefully gathered my dress. The voilet sky dipped in black.

I took my anguish, my heat swelled with hurt. Have I loved this Man?

Four out of Five.

A/N: please share lovely readers, it would help a lot. Genuinely all the love to you!  Leave your feedback.  Xoxo.

Should I end this book here?